The present invention relates to the treatment of waste water, and, in particular, to the treatment of water to remove various precipitated or suspended metal compounds therefrom.
Runoffs from a number of industrial operations such as electrical power plants, steel plants and mines are known to be contaminated with various metal compounds including iron, manganese, aluminum, zinc, copper, lead, arsenic and chromium. Such contaminants may pose a serious environmental problem. Methods heretofore used to remove such contaminants have included the use of additional lime, soda ash or other neutralizing agents and the use of holding ponds or clarifying tanks. Such methods have not, however, been entirely satisfactory because of the lengthy periods of time which they would generally be required to effect treatment.